2027: Police to arrest sponsors, perpetrators of political violence in Katsina

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The Katsina State Police Command on Thursday warned politicians and other individuals sponsoring political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections that they would be identified, investigated and arrested, regardless of their political affiliation.

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The command also cautioned youths against allowing themselves to be recruited as instruments of political violence, urging them to reject inducements offered by political actors to disrupt rallies, intimidate opponents or interfere with the electoral process.

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The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Ali Fage, gave the warning in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Aminu Gusau, during the commemoration of the 2026 International Youth Day.

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The event, which brought together youths and representatives of security agencies, traditional institutions and civil society organisations, was held under the theme, “Same Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”

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The commissioner said the approach of the 2027 general elections required greater vigilance, particularly as young people remained vulnerable to recruitment for political violence and other forms of criminality.

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He said the command had launched a campaign tagged “My Future Is Greater Than Politics”, aimed at discouraging political violence, electoral thuggery, digital manipulation and youth exploitation.

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“As we approach the year of general elections, a three-pronged threat jeopardising our peaceful aspirations faces us, the twin menace of physical political thuggery and digital thuggery,” he stressed.

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The commissioner described political thuggery as “structured self-sabotage”, warning youths against accepting short-term financial rewards, illicit substances or other incentives from politicians to carry out violent acts.

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“Political thuggery is not winning, it is structured self-sabotage,” he said.

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He further warned that political sponsors often abandon youths after elections, leaving them to face the consequences of the violence they were recruited to perpetrate.

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“Those who recruit young men and women to resort to violence will never deploy their own children to the front line of conflict. When the electoral cycle ends, these sponsors move on,” he said.

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The police boss also raised concerns over the growing use of social media for what he described as digital thuggery, including cyber harassment, coordinated hate speech, targeted blackmail, misinformation and manipulation of political narratives.

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“We will not allow your smartphones and social media handles to become instruments of national destruction,” he warned.

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He urged young people to verify information before sharing it online and to reject inflammatory political content, stressing that digital platforms should instead be used to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.

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The commissioner noted that the command’s cybercrime units and intelligence personnel were monitoring public digital spaces and would take action against individuals involved in online hate speech, electoral disinformation and cyber harassment.

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He also disclosed that the command had established a Police Youth Dialogue to strengthen engagement between the police and young people on security, crime prevention, public trust and responsible citizenship.

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According to him, the police would maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy towards electoral violence and other criminal activities before, during and after the 2027 elections.

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“The command will identify, investigate and arrest any individual, regardless of political affiliation, who finances, incites or equips people for political violence,” he said.

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He urged the youths to recognise their importance to the development of Katsina State and Nigeria, noting that their aspirations for employment, security, quality education, technological advancement and improved infrastructure could only be achieved in a peaceful environment.

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“The general election is an opportunity to express democratic choice, not an arena for conflict,” he said.

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The commissioner called on young people to reject attempts to weaponise them for political purposes and instead channel their energy towards productive activities.

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“You are the present engine and future leadership of the state and the nation. Refuse to be weapons in the hands of misguided elements.

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“Let us commit to peace on the street, responsibility on the internet and integrity in the political arena,” he said.

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